service

He put him to take the phone in customer service

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Bill Gates has said On numerous occasions (The last one in a recent interview) to their children who should not have Inherit your enormous fortuneand that they should be able to generate their own income. However, what a father could never deny his little daughter (not even Bill Gates) is to help her with her knowledge about technology. For that reason, and in the purest style of Robert De Niro in ‘The fellow‘, the millionaire has returned from his philanthropic retirement To work next to his daughter. A surprising turn in your career. Bill Gates, founder of one of the world’s largest technology companies and one of the most influential figures in technology, announced through of your LinkedIn profile His return (for a day) to the world of startups. However, he was not going to return as an investor or manager, but as a member of the customer service team of Phiathe New Technology Company of his youngest daughter, Phoebe Gates. As Gates himself told in his publication: “I have returned to the world of startups. When your daughter asks you if you would be willing to work in a customer service shift in your startup, the only correct answer is yes.” It will not be inheritance, but it has a good teacher. Phoebe Gates has associated with his Stanford Sophia Kianni partner to develop Phia, a price comparator that uses artificial intelligence to find the best offers in fashion products and new and second -hand accessories in more than 40,000 online stores. According to The published by the economic environment BenzingaPhia has been possible thanks to obtaining an initial investment of $ 250,000 from one of his Stanford teachers, highlighting the self -sufficiency of its founders. According to Fortuneneither Bill Gates nor Melinda French Gates have invested directly in the company, aspect underlines the will of the Gates family to promote the autonomy and professional growth of their children. The support of the millionaire as a startup consultant of his daughter goes beyond the familiar, calling attention to the potential of the new project. The idea is useful and fashionable, but it certainly deserved a prominent place and, without a doubt, with this “star collaboration”, Bill Gates has provided the visibility that any new company needs to start billing. Listen to users. With this initiative, Gates has not only promoted his younger daughter’s company, he has also sent a valuable message to all entrepreneurs about the importance of be close to users of its products. “I have learned throughout the years that the best way to understand how something works, or where it breaks, is to go directly to the people who use it,” Gates shared after his day in Phia customer service. Gates insisted that “the best way to understand how something works, or where it breaks, is to go directly to the people who use it,” therefore, customer service is a strategic place to know what works and what not in a service. It doesn’t matter if it is a price comparator with just a couple of months of life or a technological giant. “I hope not to break anything,” Microsoft’s founder apostilled. The infiltrated boss. While it is not usual to find great managers and founders to go down to the day -to -day trench in treatment with the client, the case of Gates is not unique. Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, puts the distributor helmet from time to time and delivers himself Some of the food orders made from its Uber Eats platform. It is even likely to Camouflara as a driver from any of their cars to take a client to the airport to check in the first person the working conditions of their employees. According to Gates in its publication De LinkedIn, the experience of helping and advising his daughter in his startup has been very positive. “It has been inspiring to see them face a huge challenge, rethink the way we buy, knowing the users where they are.” In Xataka | Bill Gates has a fortune of 107,000 million dollars and a collection of cheap watches: all Casio Image | Phia

A town in Toledo has tired of the squatters. So you are offering a new service to your neighbors to put them

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Escalona is A town of Castilla-La Mancha that does not usually monopolize holders beyond the regional press. For a while, however, it is usual to find news that relate it to the illegal occupation of houses. And not because there is a serious problem (which It has been). No. The reason is that City Council has undertaken A real crusade Against the Okupas, which has led him to activate a Municipal Planopen a special office, upload homes and, now, offer a Free service to the neighbors to expedite the evictions during The first 48 hours. At the moment it seems that it is not doing badly: the City Council presumes that illegal occupations have fallen more than 60%. Escalona at war. In Escalonaa municipality in the province of Toledo de 3,800 neighborsthey have declared him The war to the illegal occupation of housing. And with forcefulness. Both in fact that in 2023 (just one year after activating its ‘antiokupa plan’) the Consistory calculated that the problem had already been reduced 75% In the municipality and the number of crimes, 70%had also collapsed. Since then the Consistory has not stopped and recently insisted in the legal facilities which offers to evict homes. “There are no excuses”. The Escalona Crusade is not new. In fact, at least March 2021 can be traced, when the mayor Álvaro Gutiérrez(PSOE) sent A letter to the neighbors presenting the municipal plan against the illegal housing occupation. Your goal? Facing what, in the councilor’s opinion, is the “most difficult” challenge that faces the municipality: the squatters. “We cannot and do not want to look the other way. There are no excuses for illegal occupation,” starts. “Everyone has the right to housing, yes; but they must access it through legal instruments and social policies without harming the rights of others.” And what do you think? The plan It soon in entering into force and basically rests on three legs. The main one is the creation of a “illegal anti-exploits” municipal office, an department dedicated to offering free legal advice to the housing owners of the town, regardless of whether or not they are registered there. Its objective: to expedite the procedures and that the owners of affected houses act rapidly during the First 48 hours of occupation, which can speed considerably The eviction. With that purpose, the City Council of Escalona has created a “at risk” housing census and promotes the signing of agreements with both individuals and banks that have empty houses in the municipality. Thanks to them, the owners delegate their legal representation in the Consistory so that it can immediately denounce an illegal occupation in court. The objective is the same: shorten times and take advantage of the first 48 hours of the occupation to, In the words of the Consistorylook for the “express eviction.” Disused house, house upholstered. The second leg of the ‘Antiokupas Plan’ consists of an ordinance that forces to upholler or install special doors and windows in those homes that remain permanently empty. The measure, Gutiérrez clarified In his letter, he addresses mainly to the financial entities that have empty houses and without tenants in portfolio. “If they do not proceed in the stipulated time, the appropriate judicial file will begin so that the City Council can be carried out with the relevant judicial authorization,” The mayor warnsthat also warns of fines and sanctions for those who do not comply. And is it done? That seems. The City Council estimates that only in March 2022, with the newly activated antiokupa plan, the doors and windows of 40 homes distributed by neighborhoods and urbanizations of the town. And his intention was to continue doing it, blocking another 10 short -term buildings. In his Balance of 2023 He already spoke of more than fifty houses with the windows and doors closed to lime and song to keep the squatters away, a work that at least in some cases is done with local resources. Tightening via taxes. To prevent empty homes in the hands of banks, the ‘Antiokupa Plan’ also contemplates the creation of a tax designed for financial entities with buildings at risk. Its logic is very simple: if the owner (bank, vulture fund, etc.) refuses to install enclosures or upholster the house and neither does it allocate to social rental faces a special rate. “The first leg is to discourage the policy of fallen arms by financial entities to this serious problem with economic incentives,” The letter points out. In informing the building of buildings, the City Council in fact recalls that this is its last option. “We must remember that 100% of these homes come from financial entities, investment funds or vulture funds and that have been urged to rent to vulnerable families. The upholstered is the last resort to avoid its use for illicit purposes,” They claim from the Toledo municipality. City Hall … And something else. The third leg of the Plan relies on organizations and entities that go beyond the Consistory itself, such as the Civil Guard, the use of private security to “reinforce special operations against crime” in high season or expand the local police body with new places. And they are not the only resources of the City Council. Your plan He talks about agreements with “supply entities” to “expedite the supply cuts of illegal hooks of occupied homes.” Notarial powers. In May the local government made it easier for the owners of houses occupied to resort to justice by informing of a new municipal service, a free mediation so that any affected owner can benefit from the last legal news and empty your home in 48 hours. “The City Council offers all the owners of occupied homes assume the judicial and notarial costs if the notarial power is granted to submit the demand in the courts and thus expedite the eviction,” Inform The Consistory. “This new measure joins the plan against illegal occupations thanks to which, according to the information of the Civil Guard, … Read more

Tesla promised a revolutionary robotaxi service. They have humans supervising and fans as the only clients

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On June 22 he will go to Tesla’s own history for being the first day in which the company has operated on the streets with its own robotaxi. He has done it, as there was no other, with strong restrictions, leaving some doubts in the environment and with a good handful of unfulfilled promises. This is all we know about the new service. June 22. “It is the culmination of a decade of hard work.” With these words he has referred Elon Musk in X To the first trips made by their robotaxis service, taking advantage of the publication to thank your team highlighting that “both the AI ​​and software chips equipment were created from scratch within Tesla.” The company has put in the streets of Austin the first trips of its robotaxis, the completely autonomous vehicle service that it intends to have full performance next year. At the moment, the service has given the departure gun between the expected Restrictions. Hard restrictions. Limited to Very specific spaces of the city of Austin, with a Tesla worker in the passenger seat to monitor the operation of the vehicle and with a chosen audience. This has been the First Tile Trips in Texana Cityfulfilling restrictions that their competitors have previously lived. Although travelers have confirmed that Tesla supervisors had not allowed to make any comments not to condition the user, the truth is that Tesla wanted to limit the risks in this launch, selecting very well who can use the service. Fans. It is undoubtedly the black point of the launch. In the deployment of these autonomous taxis, US regulations force them to function limitedly with a closed group. Waymo, in his day, opened the offer to his own workers And, once the favor of the regulators was won, he was able to open the general public with waiting lists and finally any user. In this case, Tesla has also had to close the circle of its potential clients but has done so by choosing fans of the company itself. A look by X demonstrates that those who have climbed into the car are workers from some Elon Musk company, company enthusiasts And some of them They presume to be Tesla investors. They do not comply. This careful selection of users has left us x full of messages propaganda Positive on service. However, there are two key premises that Elon Musk’s company has not fulfilled. They do not travel alone (1). The first is that cars work autonomously but maintain a supervisor in the passenger seat. It is true that during the Presentation of Tesla Cyberercabthe alleged robotaxi that should come into operation next year, Musk took care not to make reference to whether these first trips would be made with a human next. He did not do it because one thing is to talk about deadlines and not fulfill them and another thing is lie about regulations. And it is that all autonomous cars that have been put in the streets of the United States have had to go through this phase of human supervision. Tesla could not promise that the first steps would be given with a completely autonomous car for those focused on the presentation of what it will be (or should be) its service already stable. However, remember that In 2021when the completely autonomous car looked like a chimera, Elon Musk did promised that their cars could be used without human intervention. And that this would be possible in 2023. Something that, of course, has not happened. Flyers and pedals. The same story can be followed as to the “form” of these robotaxis. Almost a five years ago Elon Musk said that in 2023 we would drive a model 2 of less than $ 30,000 and that he could forget the steering wheel. The Tesla Cybercab presented with that same premise but, again, it was omitted what the service would be like and focused on what was to come. As now We count on Xatakaright now American regulators do not allow this type of cars to put on the market. It is something that ended with Cruise’s dream And one of the reasons is very simple: if the vehicle suffers some type of breakdown or disconnection and Emergency services have to move itThey need an alternative available. The steering wheel and pedals are still essential. The deadlines. Once the reality has hit the company and had to adapt to the regulations that mark the future of the autonomous car in the United States, it remains to be known if Elon Musk can fulfill deadlines that seem almost impossible. In statements that almost seemed a parody of itself, Elon Musk said during the presentation of Tesla Cybercab that it tends to be “unusual in the deadlines.” And, perhaps because of that, another impossible deadline was set. That their robotaxis will work in full performance “before 2027, allow it to say so” as conceived. That is, in 18 months Tesla should have an open service to the public on the street, which can charge for it, that reaches the entire city where it is in operation and that, in addition, it does so in an artifact without steering wheel or pedals. It would be to fulfill something that nobody has in the market. Not even Those who have been burning billions of dollars for years To support something similar. Photo | In Xataka | Tesla wants to approve her autonomous driving in Europe. He has chosen the most demential site to demonstrate it: Rome

This hacker began to collaborate with the secret service after being arrested. What nobody knew is that he kept stealing big

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In the summer of 2003, a routine investigation for a series of robberies in Manhattan led to unexpected finding. An undercover agent of the New York Police Department followed a young man who behaved suspiciously and observed him for several minutes in the lobby of an ATM. I was extracting money with one card after another, All of them falsifiedtaking advantage of the day change to overcome the daily limits of withdrawal. That scene was just the tip of the iceberg of a much more complex criminal network, as detailed years later The New York Times. That young man was called Albert Gonzalez, although on the Internet he preferred to hide After alias as “Soupnazi”. What he did was known in the criminal forums as “CASHING OUT“: Use cloned cards to get cash before banks could react. His detention opened the door to an unprecedented operation. The agents discovered that he stored millions of card numbers on their computer and that, in addition to executing fraud, it had detailed knowledge about cybercrime techniques. Gonzalez was not any criminal The role of this individual in the community of cyber criminals was highlighted: he exercised as a moderator in Shadowcrew, a forum that centralized the exchange of stolen banking data, tools for falsifying cards and advice to exploit vulnerabilities in the financial system. When it was arrested, As NPR points out, He chose to collaborate with the authoritieswhich allowed him to dodge an immediate conviction and become an informant of the Electronic Crimes Unit of the Secret Service. For months, he collaborated in an undercover operation within Shadowcrew and facilitated an international maneuver that culminated in October 2004 with 28 arrested in several countries. The operation, Baptized as Firewallbecame a reference for cybercrime investigations. But the story did not end there. While working for the Government, Gonzalez parallelly built a much more ambitious criminal network. Using various techniques, it accessed internal systems of large American clothing and distribution chains such as TJX (owner of TJ Maxx and Marshalls), Offemax (stationery and office material) or DSW (footwear). Justice data indicate that he and his collaborators stole more than 40 million numbers of credit and debit cards. These intrusions included the installation of “sniffer” programs capable of capturing in real time the data of the cards used in point of sale. The numbers were subsequently encoded on virgin cards and used to remove cash in ATMs. Arrested in the middle of the Firewall operation The final jump came with the use of the SQL injection technique, which allowed to remotely access databases from web forms. With her, Gonzalez and her team They managed to infiltrate Companies servers such as Heartland Payment Systems, one of the main payments processors in the United States. The attack committed the data of millions of transactionsaffecting more than 250 financial entities, and went down in history as the greatest robbery of cards recorded until then. This was detailed by the United States Department of Justice in an official statement issued in 2009. Chains such as 7-Eleven (convenience stores) and Hannaford Brothers (supermarkets) were also affected. Albert González While collaborating with the day authorities, at night he continued to send stolen databases through contacts in Eastern Europe. He used ghost companies, opaque transfer systems and mules to bleach millions. He even sold committed information to hackers who were being investigated, thus feeding new lines of accusation. Finally, after a series of key arrests and the tracking of an email account linked to their old alias, the agents closed the fence. He was arrested in 2008 at a Hotel in Miami. Shortly after, he led researchers to a bidon buried at their parents’ house With more than one million dollars in cash. American justice condemned in 2010 to 20 years and one day in prison for crimes of conspiracy, computer fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. It also imposed two fines of $ 25,000 each, which total a total of $ 50,000, and three years of freedom guarded. The ruling grouped the causes presented in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Albert Gonzalez, who, According to Podcast Malicious Life and The New York Timeshad come to hack NASA being a teenager and had caught the attention of the FBI, ended up becoming one of the greatest traitors of the hacker ecosystem and a key figure to understand the evolution of cybercrime in the era of electronic commerce. On September 19, 2023, he ceased to be in custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, As stated in the records of the American prison system with the number 25702-050. Since then, his trail has become discreet, as if he tried to definitely move away from his past. Images | Screen capture | Secret service (1, 2) In Xataka | Some users are using OPENAI O3 and O4-Mini to find out the location of photos: it is a nightmare for privacy

Openai’s new voice models already speak as customer service agents. His next destination: the call centers

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Since the beginning of the year, the objective of great technological ones has been clear: that we talk to artificial intelligence (ia). Openai, Microsoft, Google and Meta have added voice functions to their assistants. But this seems to be just the beginning. The industry advances at a frantic pace and the way we interact with these tools continues to evolve. Tell the voice agents ‘hello’. Sam Altman’s company has been betting on text agents with tools such as Operator either Computer-Useing agents. However, Openai already has it ready if next great movement to continue highlighting in the race for the development of AI: to promote a new and powerful generation of voice agents. New models on stage. OpenAI has announced The launch of new audio models to turn voice into text and vice versa. They are not in chatgpt, but in the APIwhere developers can use them to create voice agents. The important thing? They aim to be much more precise and to bring customization to the next level. The new OpenAI models, built on GPT-4O and GPT-4O-minipromise to improve Whisper Already its previous text to voice tools, which will also remain active through the API. But it is not just a matter of performance: now they can also modulate their tone to sound, for example, “as an empathic customer service agent.” Destination: the call centers. Openai makes it clear where they point with this launch. He assures that “for the first time, developers can tell the model not only to say, but also how to say it, which allows more personalized experiences for use cases ranging from customer service to creative narrative.” According to Openai, this technology will allow creating much richer “conversational experiences.” If we take into account that Chatgptpowered by GPT-3.5arrived in November 2022, it is evident that the progress has been vertiginous. And everything indicates that these models will end up arriving at the call centers. We might think that at first the interactions will be somewhat limited, but well above the current voice systems. They will move away from traditional automated assistants and will be much more natural. Over time, the line between a conversation with a person and an AI could become almost imperceptible. Images | Charanjeet Dhiman | OpenAI In Xataka | We have tried Sesame’s conversational. It is the experience closest to a “human voice” that we have seen In Xataka | China has found an unusual strategy to avoid US mosquadillas with AI: bet on the Open Source

Elon Musk has promised an autonomous car service in June. Time passes and only has a car like those of a lifetime

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“Before 2027, let me say so.” With these words, Elon Musk launched its last order: United States will enjoy a Tesla Robotaxis service operated by cars without steering wheel or pedals in less than two years. That was the great promise of the company’s CEO last October 2024 when Tesla presented her cybercab. The project cannot be more ambitious. At the moment, the only ones who had strengthened as operators were Waymo and Cruise And his work is known for operating in Some neighborhoods of San Francisco with traditional vehicles adapted to a driver without driver. Cruise, in addition, has decided to give folder To this race for the autonomous car after burning billions of dollars. The background They would shake anyone and, above all, they doubt that Tesla is able to move forward such an ambitious project in such a short time space. Despite this, Elon Musk already advanced in January that yes, that This summer We would see evidence of his Tesla Cybercab in Austin (Texas). With a steering wheel or flying, it is something that will only say time. The logical step For now, what we know is that Tesla has requested permission Transportation Charter Party to the California Public Services Commission (CPUC). This step is essential to be able to be able to be able to a fleet of vehicles that are used as a taxi service. They explain in Bloomberg That, until now, there was no record of this step although Musk had assured that he hoped to be able to put this business at the service of customers at the end of the year. That is, the first steps would take place in the Texan city of Austin and, later, in the state of California. The first step, yes, is to show that cars are safe and reliable for themselves. And, for that, they need a driver who verifies the possible problems or errors in which the system may fall. Waymo and Cruise cost them years operate in California and the latter left after star in various accidents. To reach this stadium, Tesla would have to request another permission in which its intention to work without drivers after the steering wheel is specifically collected. However, this permission has not been facilitated in California, according to internal sources to the economic newspaper and Reuters. It must also be taken into account that the process to be able to Operate in San Francisco It is slow. First you need to overcome the approval of the regulators performing tests with driver, then it could operate without them but as long as I did not charge for the service. The last step is to be able to charge for the paths. We will have to see how far the strip and loosen with the state of California (governed by the Democrats). It is a region that was willing to keep the purchase subsidies of electric cars despite The government aspires to end them. California’s answer has not only been resistance in this regard, he also wants Take Tesla of them claiming that they sell too many cars. In Texas, however, things seem to be simpler. They explain in Bloomberg That completely autonomous cars do not need special permits to circulate so that the bureaucratic steps to be given are minors. In addition, it would be necessary to wait if the figure that Elon Musk has in the Government, since the state of Texas is controlled by the Republicans but the city of Austin is governed by the Democrats. At the moment, all we have are images of the Tesla Cybercab performing tests with a steering wheel on the dashboard. It is essential for the electric car company to continue taking steps towards a future where you can make profitability to the service. A profitability that, in Musk’s words, should burn its first stage in June of this year when you should be offering “trips with self -employed cars for money”, in words used to a call with investors and published by Reuters. However, the time period given by Elon Musk is so narrow that he opens the door to doubt and think that we could be before the nth promise not fulfilled in a timely manner. Much more if we consider that the company itself is pending to receive the approval in California To be able to operate your Full self driving (Your most advanced driving aid system) without supervision, something that already Mercedes In very specific traffic circumstances. Photo | Gage Skidmore and Tesla In Xataka | Tesla unlocks in Europe one of its most advanced functions. And incidentally confirm that we will have the least autonomous tesla of all

The online game service does not work around the world

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If you had thought about Friday night and Saturday morning to take some online games with your favorite PlayStation game, you may have to change plans. PlayStation Network (PSN)the service that allows you to play in line with other users, is fallen and does not work. The information comes to us From Downdectorwhich accounts for the generalized failures that are occurring at this time. Due to the problem, all online multiplayer experiences are being affected. That is, it is not an inconvenience of your Internet provider. Curiously, The PSN network service status page It shows no problem. Says that “All services are active“And that properly works the managing, the games and social networks, PlayStation Video and PlayStation Store. Although many users fail to play online. In addition to what Downdetector reflects, Several users have reflected the problem in Reddit and x. They explain that PSN is not working and that when trying to connect, the platform informs them that it is “in maintenance”. It is not clear what is the origin of the problem that affects Sony at this time. In development. Images | PlayStation In Xataka | Patents linked to Switch 2 show the operation of the Joy-Con as if they were computer mice

Butaneros will put an end to their service if they do not reach an agreement with the government

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The Blutane cast in Spain will face an indefinite strike in this month of February but an agreement with the government is not reached. A situation that puts thousands of homes in check. Short. The Spanish Federation of Petroleum Liquefied Gas Distributors (FEDGLP) have held a meeting with the Secretary of Energy, Joan Groizard, after which they have decided to maintain the indefinite unemployment notice in the home delivery service. The motivation of the action would occur if the Spanish Executive does not implement measures that guarantee the viability of the sector. According to FedlGP, butane distribution He is facing A great loss of profitability because the regulations that regulate the maximum price of the packaged LPG has not been updated to reflect the growing operational costs: transport, storage, distribution logistics, inflation, increased labor costs and regulatory demands. This situation has led to intermittent suspensions of home cast in previous months. The beginning. The final decision will be taken in an assembly of the FEDGLP at the end of February. However, the dealers have carried out Several strike days In November and December, claiming an update of the rates they receive for each bottle delivered, since they have been reviewing more than a decade. These strikes affected the delivery of more than 150,000 daily bombs, on which approximately six million homes depend throughout the country. Far from solving. The sector has claimed an immediate update of the regulations to adjust the maximum price of the packaged LPG and compensate for increases in operational costs. From the Federation they have explained that companies lose 1.80 euros for each bottle delivered. Besides, They have added That without a fair and equitable adaptation of regulated prices, the sector is focused on operating in unsustainable conditions, putting the continuity of the supply at risk. But prices? The maximum sale price of liquefied oil gas (LPG) packaged in Spain is regulated by law And it is reviewed bimonthly by the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines, in accordance with the IET/389/2015 order. This regulation affects containers with a load equal to or greater than 8 kg and less than 20 kg, with tara greater than 9 kg. The maximum price incorporates the cost of home supply. And what does the government say? So far, the Executive, represented by the Secretary of State for Energy, Joan Groizard, He has held meetings With the Fedglp to address the situation. However, concrete measures have not yet been announced to update the regulations and meet the demands of the sector. The lack of a specific response from the Spanish government has led distributors to maintain the threat of an indefinite strike in the home delivery service. Impact on consumers. The lack of a solution will affect thousands of homes that depend on this service. In addition, many people need them to take home home either by reduced mobility or age. However, in previous strikes, the Bombones were still available in authorized establishments. However, to have more up -to -date information when this occurs, the recommendation would be to directly contact local points of sale or distributors. An uncertain future. With the possibility, strike in the cast and uncertainty about government measures, butane supply in Spain is in the air. If a solution is not found in the coming weeks, thousands of homes will be affected by the lack of supply. Image | Riki Ferrer (Flickr) Xataka | Barcelona starts 2025 with a new prohibition for bars: goodbye to gas stoves on the terraces

Dodgers announce deal for Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. Receives signing bonus of 6.5 million

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LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers announced on Wednesday their agreement with sought-after Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki by agreeing to a minor league contract with a signing bonus of $6.5 million. A 23-year-old right-hander with a fastball that tops 100 mph, Sasaki announced his intention to sign with the Dodgers on Friday and was introduced at a news conference Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. He joins Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the Dodgers after making a decision that had generated much expectation. Sasaki had until Thursday to finalize a contract. He was considered an international amateur under Major League Baseball rules because he is under 25 years old and does not have six years of service in Japan, which restricted him to the pool of international signings. The Dodgers started with an allocation of $5,146,200, but increased it to $8,102,800 with a pair of trades last week, acquiring $1.5 million from Cincinnati and $1,456,600 from Philadelphia. Los Angeles is contemplating using a six-starting rotation, which could ease Sasaki’s transition to the majors. The Dodgers are trying to become the first team to repeat as champion since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000. Sasaki was made available to major league teams for a 45-day period by the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Pacific League under the bidding agreement between Japan Professional Baseball and the majors. Because he is under 25 years old and does not have six years of Japanese league service time, Sasaki is considered an international amateur by MLB and is limited to a minor league contract subject to signing funds. The Marines will receive $1,625,000, 25% of Sasaki’s signing bonus amount. During a news conference at the winter meetings last month, Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, denied that a deal was already in place with the Dodgers. Wolfe said MLB had investigated. Sasaki went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games last year, striking out 129 batters in 111 innings during a season limited by shoulder inflammation. He went 7-4 with a 1.78 ERA in 15 starts in 2023, when he suffered an oblique injury. Over his career, he is 29-15 with a 2.10 ERA over four seasons with the Marines and pitched a perfect game against Orix in April 2022. Among international amateur free agents, Los Angeles also agreed to deals with Venezuelan infielders Luis Tovar ($397,500) and Moisés Acacio ($197,500), Panamanian left-handed pitcher Adrián Torres ($362,500) and Colombian shortstop Luis Luna ($137,500). .

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